London stands out as the economic heart of the UK, with a GDP per capita of over £60,000. The UK’s capital offers a huge number of skilled employment opportunities across almost every industry. London is primarily known for its financial sector.

Because of this substantial concentration of opportunities, professionals worldwide set their sights on London as a place to develop their careers. If you come to London from outside the UK to access skilled work, you will most likely need a Skilled Worker visa.

This article will give you the best chance of getting this vital visa. It introduces what the Skilled Worker visa is and why you need it. You will then discover everything you need to know about the application process and why you should consider making use of an immigration lawyer to have the best possible chance of success.

Skilled Worker Visa for Professionals Moving to London

With a Skilled Worker visa, you can come to London for up to five years to work in a job that fits the definition of skilled work. So long as you remain in the same job, you can easily extend it multiple times for however long you want to remain in the UK. Changing your employer or role won’t alter your ability to stay in the UK so long as you will still be in skilled work, but remember to apply to update the visa accordingly.

The Skilled Worker visa also has provisions to allow you to bring dependents with you, so long as you are financially able to support them. Furthermore, after spending five years in the UK, you can apply for indefinite leave to remain, meaning you won’t have to worry about keeping your Skilled Work visa renewed and updated. For these reasons, the Skilled Work visa is a fantastic platform to start a new life in the UK from. 

The UK hasn’t always had a Skilled Worker visa for individuals in your position. Instead, they had the similar Tier 2 Work visa, which was replaced on 1 December 2020 with the Skilled Worker visa. Now in place for almost four years, the Skilled Worker visa has allowed scores of high value and experienced individuals to come to the UK and contribute to its labour market.

Overall, the Skilled Worker visa is a great platform from which to build a life in the UK. There are provisions to bring your familial dependents with you, and you can even apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years, allowing you to settle permanently.

Skilled Worker Visa Application

The UK Government has made the application process easier by bringing it online. To make your application, simply find the Skilled Worker visa part of the UK Government’s website and begin your application. Having uploaded your documents and filled in the application form, you will need to pay the application fees, explored in the section below.

Having paid the application fee, you must complete the only stage of the application that cannot be completed online. Book an appointment at a UK visa application centre to have biometric information – a photograph and fingerprints – taken.

London Skilled Workers Application Fees and Waiting Times for a Visa

Skilled Workers bound for London will be subject to the usual application fees and waiting times. This is usually three weeks unless the visa authorities have an unusually long backlog or your application has problems and mistakes.

Processing will only begin once you have paid the application fees, which are usually between £551 and £1,636, depending on your circumstances. The lowest application fees apply to individuals whose role is on the immigration salary list and, therefore, only have to earn 80% of the usual mining for their sector. For such cases, the application fee is as follows:

• Stays under three years: £551.
• Stays longer than three years: £1,084.

If your role is not on the immigration salary list, you must pay the standard application fees, which are as follows:

• Stays under three years: £719.
• Stays longer than three years: £1,420.

Meanwhile, the highest application fees apply if you are within the UK, updating your Skilled Work visa, or switching from a different UK visa. You must pay the following fees in this circumstance:

• Stays under three years: £827
• Stays longer than three years: £1,636.

The healthcare surcharge must also be paid so that you can access NHS healthcare. The standard charge is £1,035.

Application Requirements

Simply being a London-bound skilled worker is not enough for your application to be successful. The following requirements apply and immigration authorities will make sure that you fit all of them.

• Your passport will be valid while you are in the UK.
• You have a bank balance of £1,270 or higher.
• You have received a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from an employer with a Sponsorship Licence. Furthermore, the role you have been given the CoS for must qualify as Skilled Work.
• You are educated to the equivalent of A-Level standard or higher.
• You will earn the market rate in your role or £38,700, whichever is higher unless your role is on the immigration salary list.
• Your English language skills are B1 standard or higher according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Full documentation will need to be provided as proof that you match the requirements. UK immigration authorities may also ask for further documentation and information if they have any concerns.

Joining the London Workforce on a Skilled Worker Visa

London is one of the most exciting cities in the world for developing your career. There are a host of roles available to apply for and the city has some of the best culture in the world to enjoy during your time off. However, this is usually contingent on you obtaining a Skilled Worker visa, a challenge for most candidates. For this reason, it is common for skilled workers coming to London to get help from an immigration lawyer or adviser. These experts help you to complete your application to a high standard and can represent you if you need to make any appeals should your application be rejected.